Ricky Hatton's brother Matthew steps out of Hitman's shadow with European welterweight title win over Gianluca Branco

Matthew Hatton scored a unanimous points victory over veteran Italian Gianluca Branco to claim the vacant European welterweight title in Dagenham on Friday night.

Hatton, brother of former double world champion Ricky Hatton, had to take some tough punches from former champion Branco in the early rounds but began to take control in the fourth before recording a 117-111 115-113 116-112 points victory.

The Mancunian fighter was given the surprise shot at his first title at only two weeks' notice. He knew he would face the biggest challenge of his career against Branco, whose only two previous losses had come in world title fights against Miguel Cotto and Arturo Gatti.

Hatton opened strongly in the first, landing a series of lefts on the veteran Italian but Branco soon hit back, landing a right hook with Hatton backed into a corner.

He then caught Hatton with a right hook later in the round before emerging from his corner to outmanoeuvre the Italian and land a right hook to shake the Italian in the second.

Branco connected with two sweeping lefts later in the second but Hatton came out strong in the third, landing a clear left hook at the start of the round.

Hatton continued to edge back but found himself on the end of a precise left hook after a good combination from Branco.

Despite Branco's early promise, Hatton continued to come at the Italian and caught the 39-year-old off-guard with a series of left-hand jabs in the fourth.

The 1,000 crowd urged Hatton on as the Mancunian started to go to work on Branco, who by the fifth had developed bruising above his right eye. The 28-year-old reacted well to a Branco jab to catch the Italian with an uppercut to take sixth as the Italian started to flag.

Branco hit back to catch Hatton square in the face in the seventh but Hatton was by now well in control and landed a juddering left on the back on Branco's head in the eighth.

Hatton was on top by the end of the ninth as Branco struggled to cope with Hatton's speed. Referee Manuel Oliver Palomo had to pull Branco away twice in the 10th before the Briton landed two quick lefts to leave the crowd sensing a knockout.

Hatton was caught off-guard by a Branco left in the 11th but he fought back strongly to open up a cut above his right eye.

Sensing he needed a knockout to win, the Italian tried to land a series of hooks in the last but Hatton carefully side-stepped Branco's punches.

Branco's right eye was almost closed by the end of the fight as Hatton confidently held on for a well-earned points victory.